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PHILCO PHORUM

Philco for 1929 (introduced January 1929)

As 1929 began, Philco made up for lost time. Another company that had specialized in battery eliminators, Majestic (Grigsby-Grunow), had made a big splash in the radio industry in June 1928 with its own new line of radio receivers. Majestic's sets featured a new type of speaker - Electro-Dynamic - and the Majestic radios produced thundering bass which proved to be very popular.

Philco's initial radio lineup had used high-impedance magnetic speakers. Thus, Philco slightly refined the basic 511 circuitry, adding a push-pull output stage and their own electro-dynamic speaker. The new set became Model 86. (The 25-40 cycle version of Model 86 was Model 82.)

Model 86 was never offered as a table model set, only in console form.

Philco's new radio line was slimmed down considerably from six months before. A few 511 Series sets were retained in the Philco lineup: the Spanish Brown 511 table model, the Lowboy, and the Highboy. However, the hand-painted models (512, 513, 514, 515) were discontinued.

A new lowboy was introduced, with no drop-down door and a different grille opening. It became Model 591 (with the 511 chassis) and Model 86 (with the 86 chassis).

The 511 series chassis and the 86 chassis also shared the same lowboy (with the drop-down door) and highboy cabinets used during the preceding six months.

TABLE MODEL

As mentioned above, the Spanish Brown Model 511 was retained in the January 1929 lineup.

Original selling price: $115 (511), $25 (211 speaker)
Number made: 68,850 (NOTE: Number made includes all of the 511 series table models, in their various color schemes.)

CONSOLES

Model 86 - Model 531 Lowboy

The Philco 1928 Lowboy, Model 531, also continued for January 1929. The Model 86 chassis was also available in an identical cabinet.

Original selling price: $129.50 (86)
Number made: 9,009 (NOTE: This figure includes both 86 and 531 versions)

Model 86 - Model 591 Lowboy

A new lowboy, with no drop-down door covering the dial and controls, became available in January 1929. It, too, was available with either the 86 or 511 series chassis.

Original selling price: $127.50 (591), $157 (86)
Number made: 78,760 (NOTE: This figure includes both 86 and 591 versions)

Model 86 - Model 551 Highboy

The Highboy also continued for January 1929, and was likewise available either as a Model 86 or Model 551 (511 series chassis).

This particular model is a Model 86; Model 551 is identical in appearance.

Original selling price: Not available
Number made: 7,910 (NOTE: This figure includes both 86 and 551 versions)

Photo credit: Dan & Vickie Robinson

This is how the Model 86 Highboy looks with the double doors opened and folded back. Model 551 is identical in appearance.

Photo credit: Dan & Vickie Robinson